Birthday Salute To Nate Dogg

Born Nathaniel Dwayne Hale in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Nate began singing in the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach and Life Line Baptist Church, where his father was a pastor. After his parents divorced when Nate was 14, he moved to Long Beach California, and at 17 dropped out of high school to join the Marine Corps.

In 1990, Nate recorded a demo-tape in the back of famed VIP Recording Studio with his cousin Snoop Dogg and good friend Warren G, as the group 213. Dr. Dre heard the tape at a local house party, and took notice to Nate Dogg and his soulful voice. He appeared on Dre’s hip-hop masterpiece The Chronic, doing outro vocals for the track Deeeez Nuuutz, and went on to sign to Death Row Records.

In 1994, Warren G and Nate released the single “Regulate“. Coming from the soundtrack to the movie Above the Rim, the single has become a classic and peaked at Number 2 on the Billboard 200.

Nate would go on to collaborate with many other acts, such as 2Pac with “All About U”, but released his first solo record in 1998 – titled G Funk Classics Vol. 1 and 2. His follow up album, Music and Me, released in 2001, and peaked at Number 3 on the Billboard 200.

In 2007, Nate suffered a stroke. This would leave the left side of his body paralyzed. Although it didn’t affect his voice and the doctors expected a full recovery, he suffered a second stroke in 2008.

In 2011, Nate Dogg passed away from complications from the multiple strokes.

Today we remember and salute one of the founders of G-Funk, and the king of collaboration, Nate Dogg.